Pop quiz! (Don't panic--you won't be graded on this.) What is the number one reason donors become "one-time" instead of "recurring"?
*Jeopardy music begins to play... One-two on the timpani...* And, time's up!
Donors cite the number-one reason for ceasing their support as this: It was the way I was treated by charity, from not being thanked to an avalanche of needy appeals. You need a thank-you message that says to your donors, "you matter," and, "let's start a conversation." Think of the old marketing adage: It's cheaper to keep a customer (donor/supporter) than to find a new one.
Check out our tips for the top three ways to show your appreciation and thanks:
- Thank your donors three times as often as you appeal for donations. You read that correctly: Three times as often. Say thank you. Send an update. (Heck, you might even drive up your website traffic in the process!) Highlight a program, person or other aspect of your organization that the generous donation went toward. Think about the last time you received a thank-you note--didn't it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy?
- Make your thank-you message personal. A person cannot be thanked enough, unless the thank you is a corny form letter. You can spare your supporters from receiving a single one. (Trust us: Donors can tell the difference.) Think hand-written notes, phone calls or some personalization in your email message at least. When crafting your letter, check out the four parts of a great message, and don't let another "Dear Donor" message happen to you!
- Show your donors their impact: Be transparent! How did your organization spend their money? Who did they help? Be accountable. If I know that I saved Spot the dog from being euthanized, show me a picture of Spot. The most important thing is to be genuine.
One of our favorite examples of a personalized, memorable thank-you letter went to our friend Kivi Leroux Miller at nonprofitmarketingguide.com. While vacationing in the Outer Banks, Kivi donated $10 to Ocracoke Child Care as part of a matching-gifts campaign she noticed in a realty office.
Along with a brief "thanks" message, she received this drawing at the bottom of the typed letter:
Why was this so effective?
- It was unexpected.
- Kivi could actually picture the scene in which the central director sat down with a child, asked her to adorn the bottom of the plain text letter with a crayon drawing and sent it off to a Kivi--a $10 donor!
Before you say you "can't afford to do this," tally the cost of losing a donor versus finding a new one. As Kivi points out, not every thank-you note can or should include a child's drawing, but "every nonprofit can come up with some kind of equivalent way to to personalize their thank-you notes and make a much more direct, human connection between the donation and the standard thank-you letter in reply." (Read Kivi's full blog post here.)
